When schools closed at the end of March 13, students in K-8 at North Star Academy were sent home with paper-based remote learning packets so they could continue practicing previously learned materials. For the high school students, time was of the essence. The Advanced Placement Exams were just a few weeks away, and almost all … Continued
No one knew how much the coronavirus pandemic would impact K-12 learning. Schools, including Uncommon Schools, initially made sure their students had enough learning packets and assignments for about two weeks. It quickly became apparent that more was needed. Starting March 30, every Uncommon student will be on a virtual school program with daily lessons … Continued
A Freeport-based nonprofit, The Book Fairies, donated more than 11,000 books so children can keep reading during the coronavirus pandemic. Educators approached the organization about books to send home to students. In response, Book Fairies temporarily opened its headquarters for scheduled pick-ups. Natasha Cherry-Perez, Senior Associate Director of Community Engagement, went to pick up books … Continued
Days after we closed all of our school, Uncommon opened back up as a remote learning organization. In New York City alone we were serving nearly 10,000 students in their homes. Our teachers and staff scrambled to survey families about their Internet capabilities, became couriers to get equipment to families, and made wellness calls to … Continued
Boston Public School Students Continue to Advocate for a Permanent High School Building That Is Already Zoned for a School BOSTON — Students from Roxbury Prep High School will sit in silent protest at the next Boston Planning and Development Agency meeting to continue to advocate for a permanent home for their high school. For … Continued
North Star Academy Boy’s Varsity Basketball (No. 15 seed) is advancing to play for the state title after ousting Madison (No. 10 seed) 52-46 in the North 2 Group 2 tournament on March 5. The North Star Academy Knights will be playing against the No. 1 seed Hackettstown on March 10 for an attempt to … Continued
At Uncommon Schools, we believe that every child deserves an outstanding education. This is especially true for students with disabilities and Individual Education Plans (IEPs), English language learners, and any student requiring additional services to succeed academically. Our approach is premised on a love of learning and a fierce dedication to preparing all students to … Continued
Camden Prep paid homage to the Tuskegee Airmen, along with other notable trailblazers of color, during a Black History Month celebration. The celebration is one of many ways students across all of Uncommon showcase what they’ve learned in an engaging way. Watch the video of Camden Prep Copewood Elementary students perform their BHM Celebration, and … Continued
Arlingcove (Allen) Paul has made history as the first football player from Roxbury Prep to sign a National Letter of Intent to play football at Georgetown University. https://twitter.com/Capen316/status/1225117881475784706 https://twitter.com/Capen316/status/1225108255007035393 Roxbury Prep’s varsity football program began in 2018, and has been a competitive team. Dwayne Robinson, Roxbury Prep’s Athletic Director, feels this is just the tip … Continued
Bryan Santos-Ramos, an 8th grader at Camden Prep Mt. Ephraim Middle School was recognized as the “Strongest Kid of the Game” during the Philadelphia 76ers’ exhibition against the Golden State Warriors on January 28, 2020. A few years ago, Bryan had a tumor removed from his brain and had to relearn many everyday tasks. This … Continued
Seven hundred school leaders of color — including over 10 from Uncommon — gathered in Las Vegas on February 7 for Teach for America’s annual conference. This year, the focus was on resilient leadership and providing school leaders with inspiration and motivation to continue the work of supporting young people of color in achieving their … Continued
In January, New York City teachers from districts 18 and 5 gathered together for the second collaborative professional development workshop hosted by Uncommon Schools. As the six-hour session on literacy instruction began, the teachers were asked to think about Kobe Bryant the writer. Celeste Douglas, the Deputy Superintendent of District 18 in Brooklyn, read Bryant’s … Continued
Congratulations to North Star Academy Washington Park and Lincoln Park High Schools’ Speech Team for their recent wins at the 45th Penn Tournament. For the first time in the team’s history, every student who competed advanced to an elimination round. Semifinalists: Duo Interpretation: Michael Torto and Sarah Ramberran Oral Interpretation: Abigail Nicholas Dramatic Interpretation: Precious … Continued
Darius Brown, a middle school student at North Star Academy, was named New Jersey’s top youth volunteer of 2020. The recognition comes from The Prudential Spirit Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for their exceptional volunteer work. As an honoree, Darius will receive $1,000, and will attend an event in Washington, D.C. with … Continued
via Commonwealth Magazine In a letter published in Boston’s Commonwealth Magazine, Roxbury Prep parent Sarah Rocha calls on Mayor Marty Walsh to support the high school building project for Roxbury Prep’s high school students. Currently, Roxbury Prep High School is split between two buildings, five miles apart. “As you know, Roxbury Prep and their students … Continued
In an op-ed for the Bay State Banner, Boston District 5 City Councilor Ricard Arroyo calls on the Boston Planning and Development Agency “to do the right thing and put the high school project on their agenda in February.” In January, the Roxbury Prep community gathered on the steps of Boston City Hall to protest … Continued
On January 16, members of the Roxbury Prep community gathered on the steps of Boston City Hall to protest the Boston Planning and Development Agency’s (BPDA) delay in scheduling a hearing for a proposed high school to be built on a vacant lot in Roslindale. Currently, Roxbury Prep High School is split between two campuses … Continued
In 1997, we began as a single school in Newark, New Jersey. To that founding class of 72 students and their families we made a promise. A promise to provide them with an outstanding education that prepares them to graduate from college and achieve their dreams. Our steadfastness and commitment to that promise has allowed … Continued
News reporter Richard Whitmire visited Uncommon Leadership Charter High School in Brooklyn to see students engage in High School 2.0 — a program that provides students an opportunity to explore topics outside core academic subject areas. The program brings outside experts to teach classes from coding to dance. Students are able to learn “the kind … Continued
The Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting the work that New York City charter schools, including Uncommon Schools, are doing to get high school graduates to college and, importantly, graduate from college. We are excited to share that 61 percent of Uncommon’s high school graduates have completed at four-year institutions in six years ̶ … Continued
The Manhattan Institute released a new report on the effects enrolling in a charter school has on student standardized test scores in Newark, New Jersey. Among its major findings, the report suggests that attending a Newark charter school that participated in the city’s common enrollment system led to large improvements in students’ math and reading … Continued
On January 9, Uncommon Schools Excellence Boys Elementary Academy hosted students and staff from Morehouse College, to learn more about future career and post-graduation opportunities in education. Sixteen sophomores and juniors from the Atlanta-based HBCU visited the all-boys school to hear from Uncommon’s Recruitment Team, visit several elementary and middle school classrooms, and interacted with … Continued
As one of two black male teachers at North Star’s West Side Park Middle School, Raymond Blanks is determined to serve his community and “pay it forward.” Black men like Raymond continue to be underrepresented in the teaching force, making up only 2 percent of teachers nationwide. Research shows that when students are taught by … Continued
The goal of Camp Uncommon is to provide the best summer for as many kids as possible, and engages students in a variety of activities from hiking and nature discovery to athletics and arts. In addition to discovery new interests, the summer camp immerses elementary and middle school students in character-building activities. Camp Uncommon, now … Continued
Educators from NYC Districts 5 and 18 gathered together for a professional development session led by Uncommon Schools. The topic: literacy. Throughout the day, teachers analyzed what it means to prepare students to access the rigor of common-core standards, and how best to support students in reading and understanding complex texts. The professional development session … Continued
Titicana Barros, Principal of Roxbury Prep High School – Maywood Campus and Roxbury Prep alumna, has been selected for the Heroes Among Us award, presented by the Massachusetts State Lottery, NBC Sports Boston, and 98.5 The SportbsHub! The Celtics honored Titciana for her dedication to the youth of Boston, calling her a “shining example” who … Continued
In an interview with TAPinto Newark, Jasmine Morrison says that the New Jersey Department of Education is asking the wrong questions about charter schools. As a result, they’re not capturing how much charter schools are positively impacting the families, students, and communities of Newark. While her own childhood was often fraught with danger — her … Continued
After observing college-ready instruction in classrooms across the country, Richard Whitmire highlights examples of what seems to work for ensuring students from low-income communities graduate from college. One of those remedies was found at North Star Academy called Target 3.0. It’s a data-driven counseling program that requires students with GPAs below 2.5 to attend special … Continued
In an open letter in the Homecoming Edition of the Maroon Tiger — Morehouse College’s on-campus publication — Jaz Grant writes about how his alma mater helped him find his passion and shape a career worth pursuing. Jaz was a chemistry major at Morehouse, and thought to go into medicine. But one day, during the … Continued
In Part 1 of a two-part series, Patrick Rametti, the Director of College Completion, speaks with Andrew Wolk, Founder and CEO of Root Cause, about academic preparation and how Uncommon Schools gets its students not just to college, but also to succeed and graduate. Patrick sites a three-pronged approach for Uncommon’s high success rate in … Continued
In November, Newark hosted high school seniors from across the region for a Census Awareness Day event. By educating the youth who often act as interpreters for their immigrant parents and adult family members, the Urban League Guild of Essex County and the New Jersey chapters of the Urban League Young Professionals are looking to … Continued
Titciana Barros, a Roxbury Prep alumna and current Principal of Roxbury Prep High School — Maywood Campus, was honored at the Massachusetts State House for her “dedication” to her community and empowering the students of Roxbury Prep. According to Patch.com, the commendation was put forth by Representative Liz Miranda. Titciana brought along students with her … Continued
In an op-ed for the Daily News, Brett Peiser (CEO, Uncommon Schools), Dacia Toll (President and Co-CEO, Achievement First), and Richard Barth (CEO, KIPP Foundation), invite Democratic presidential candidates to visit their schools and see firsthand how public charter schools are making an impact on student outcomes. Democratic presidential candidates have spoken on the need … Continued
Congratulations to Roxbury Prep High School’s varsity football team for their historic opening weekend of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs. The Wolves ended their opening game with an 8-0 victory over TechBoston, making this win a big deal for a varsity program that’s still in its infancy. The varsity program just began last year … Continued
In the November 2019 issue of Educational Leadership Magazine, by ASCD, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, Chief Schools Officer, breaks down how school leaders can foster a schoolwide culture of coaching to improve both teacher instruction and student success. Small steps can appear meaningless to more veteran educators, and micro-feedback might seem like it would take “too long” … Continued
“It’s not often you see a room of school leaders rendered speechless,” writes Tom Ress, Executive Director of School Leadership at the Ambition Institute, but as Julie spoke about her journey at Uncommon, “you could hear a pin drop.” This month, Uncommon Schools President Julie Jackson, traveled to London, England for two events—one with the … Continued
“We feel beautiful because this building is beautiful.” Formerly Bonsall Elementary School, Camden Prep Mt. Ephraim campus opened its doors after a massive renovation transformed the 105-year-old building. Some of the building’s original features were retained and restored, while others were added to provide students with a brighter learning space they deserve. Click here to … Continued
Roxbury Prep students participated in the Roslindale Parade this month with handmade signs inviting community members to “ask me how many AP classes I’ve taken.” Some students eagerly shared their AP course load: five, six, even nine AP classes — no easy feat considering Roxbury Prep High School is spread across two temporary campuses in … Continued
We are thrilled to share that Citi has continued its longstanding commitment to Uncommon Schools by selecting the organization to participate in Citi’s e for education campaign, a global initiative that has raised over $29.5 million for education-focused nonprofits. Citi has partnered with Uncommon for the last six years–a partnership that’s resulted in donations of … Continued
Titciana Barros, current Principal of Roxbury Prep High School was featured on WBZ-TV’s “Eye on Education” segment. “It’s remarkable. It’s been a humbling experience to come full circle,” Barros said to WBZ-TV’s Paula Ebben. In addition to being Principal at Roxbury Prep High School’s Maywood Campus, Titciana is also a Roxbury Prep alumna (Mission Hill, … Continued
Professor André Hudson, head of the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, was celebrated at the National Role Models Conference — one of multiple awards given to RIT for their work on diversity and inclusion. Professor Hudson led three Uncommon Rochester Prep High School seniors in a capstone project … Continued
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” At the beginning of program every year, Summer Teaching Fellows are presented with the above quote by Marian Wright Edelman, an activist for children’s rights and the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. The quote sets the stage for the 7 to 10 weeks Fellows will be spending … Continued
Timers are a daily tool for teachers, and while the technique isn’t new, it’s recently gotten a lot of attention. Washington Post columnist Jay Matthews writes about the technique outlined in Doug Lemov’s books here. Doug wrote Teach Like a Champion and Teach Like a Champion 2.0 after making videos of some of the best … Continued
On September 22, the Dorchester Historical Society and the social justice team at the National Parks of Boston will celebrate Lucy Stone’s life and legacy. Lucy Stone was a longtime Dorchester resident, and leading suffragist and abolitionist in the mid-1800s. She attended Oberlin College in Ohio, and in 1847 was the first Massachusetts woman to … Continued
Dan Hall spent 10 weeks this summer with Uncommon’s HR team. As a 2019 Social Enterprise Fellow and military veteran, Dan designed proposals to help the organization’s HR team tackle systems and knowledge management practices. “Towards the end of the summer, I presented my proposed solutions to the team,” writes Dan, and together, they “began … Continued
Cheyenne Williams, a Rochester Prep alumna, is one of 21 students who were welcomed at the Rochester Institute of Technology as the college’s 10th class of Destler-Johnson Rochester City Scholars. The program is designed to give graduates from the Rochester City School District the opportunity to attend college tuition-free. Watch the coverage on News10 here.
Two Uncommon Schools Roxbury Prep alumni were highlighted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Glahens Paul joined Roxbury Prep Lucy Stone in 7th grade and was part of the founding high school class of Roxbury Prep High School, which graduated its first class in 2019. Glahens earned a Posse Scholarship and is attending … Continued
Uncommon’s Summer Teaching Fellowship program continues to attract young people of color to the teaching profession. The Kings County Politics highlights Jahmeelah Nash-Fuller and Prince Islam — two among over 100 rising college seniors who were accepted into the 2019 Summer Teaching Fellowship program. Jahmeelah attends Agnes Scott College had plans to go to law … Continued
For the past 20 years, Uncommon Schools has been deeply committed to sharing what we learn with our colleagues throughout the world to improve education for all children. The New York City Charter School Center put together this feature with interviews from Uncommon leaders and alumni, about what a charter-district school collaboration looks like. Charter-District … Continued
Atalyia Eisenhauer, a 2018 Summer Teaching Fellow and current teacher at North Star Academy in Newark, has been nominated for the 2019 Penn Mutual Life of Significance Award — an award given to a collegiate rugby player who demonstrates the shared values of integrity, respect, loyalty, and community. Read more about Atalyia here.
English 
Arabic 
Chinese 
French 
Portuguese 
Spanish